Disclaimer: This is a rendition of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing in my Once Upon a Time AU. If you're familiar with the play, I'll list out who is who here, listed in order of appearance throughout the chapter: Emma is Beatrice; Alice is an added, original character (she is not the same Alice from OUAT in Wonderland); Snow is Hero; King Leopold is Leonato; Aurora is respectfully Ursula; Ashley is an added character; Ruby is Margaret; Hansel is the messenger and servant boy; Lancelot is Don Pedro; Killian is Benedick; David is Claudio. I will list other characters and their counterparts as they appear in future chapters. Along with the layout, I've taken liberties with the dialogue some. Making it fit a bit better with my story as well as a little more understanding. Also, I own neither Once Upon a Time, their characters, Shakespeare's play, nor his characters. I'm just borrowing and manipulating. I hope you enjoy :)
"Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more.
Men were deceivers ever,
One foot in sea, and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.
Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey nonny, nonny."
Emma hummed along with the tune as Alice continued to play the harp and sing. The song was one of Emma's favorites and she absolutely loved to listen to Alice play and sing. Not that Alice minded any. When she played it was the only time she ever concentrated on anything. All other times she had the attention span of a 10 year old who had ventured into some kind of wonderland. But that was one thing she loved most about her dear gentlewoman, she was always able to entertain even if she wasn't meaning to.
Emma looked over at her sister, Snow White, the fair and kind-hearted princess of this land, who was sun bathing with her eyes closed. Emma figured she had probably fallen asleep some odd verses ago. Snow wasn't really her sister, as Emma was adopted. But Emma had always felt a sort of sisterly connection between the two of them and that's how Snow and her parents referred to her at all times. Snow was the daughter of King Leopold and Queen Eva, who took an abandoned Emma in as their own when she was just a baby.
It was said that the King and Queen found the baby wrapped in a white and purple blanket with the name Emma embroidered along the edge by the shoreline of the ocean. A swan had been sitting over her, protecting her from potential threats. When the royal couple took the child into their home, the swan refused to leave their side, so they accepted the swan as a pet. It still clung by her side even today, though it would take frequent visits to the pond that sat inside the castle gates throughout the day. In lieu of naming their eldest daughter Snow White, they decided on naming her Emma Swan.
The King and Queen had raised her as their own just as they did Snow, who had been three when they brought Emma in. Snow was overjoyed to have a younger sister and treated her as such. Emma was an honorary princess by decree, though she never felt like she'd earned such a title. She didn't like to think of herself as a princess, it didn't suit her. Snow, on the other hand, was the epitome of the perfect princess. She had adopted her mother and father's kind hearts and knowledge of the kingdom; all of their subjects adored her and would willing accept her as their Queen when the time came.
On Snow's 17th birthday, Queen Eva passed away. It was a heartbreaking loss to all of the kingdom, but it only strengthened the bond between the King, Snow, and Emma.
Seven years had passed since then, and Snow was sensing the pressures of her soon-to-be coronation as their father was getting on in age. The King had never pressured Snow into an arranged marriage, for he strongly believed in True Love and its power. But Snow had yet found a suitor she fancied enough to marry. Sure, the neighboring castles all had perfectly nice princes; not none had appealed to Snow in the ways that she had always imagined true love was supposed to play out as. She was beginning to believe that it was just a fairy tale.
Emma, on the other hand, was somewhat of a cynic when it came to love and romance. As an honorary princess, she also had her fair share of suitors; but she found most of them to be dull and boring. She wasn't the one under pressure to get married and rule a kingdom; that was Snow. Emma wanted passion and adventure and excitement out of life. Whether there was a man beside her or not didn't matter as much.
Alice finished her playing as the King walked out to the courtyard to accompany them. He nodded in acknowledgement to Emma and Snow, as well as the four other women who accompanied them. Aurora, cousin to Emma and Snow, sat with her feet in the pond as she smiled up at her uncle. Ashley, a sweet and timid Dame of Aurora's kingdom sat next to her; she had accompanied Alice in singing. And next to Emma was Ruby, Emma and Snow's personal waiting-gentlewoman, though they never treated her as anything lower than an equal. Ruby had served as one of Emma's closest friends.
"Beautiful, Alice. As always," he gave the bright-eyed blonde a warm smile of encouragement then turned his attention to the others. "How are my lovely ladies this morning?"
Snow stirred to her father's entrance, smiling brightly as she regained her consciousness.
"We're well, father. Snow here was just catching up on some of her beauty sleep as Alice serenaded her," Emma teased. "Usually it's Aurora who drifts off at random moments throughout the day."
Aurora stuck her tongue out at her cousin who only giggled at her expense.
A young servant boy ran out to the group holding a letter in his hands outstretched to the King.
The King rolled open the letter and spent a few seconds reading the scroll and a large smile brighten his face. "It appears we will be in the company of Sir Lancelot and his men as they make their port in our castle."
"They're returning from a particularly long march along the kingdom border, making peace with the neighboring kingdoms," the boy, Hansel, explained.
"We owe them much and they will be welcomed with open arms as we regroup and form strategies for future plans. How far are they? And do you know who all accompanies Sir Lancelot?"
"Very near; I suspect they will be here by the afternoon," the boy replied. "And no sir. Though I believe the same count that left are returning, so it seems there weren't any casualties."
"Bravo!" the King rejoiced and Aurora and Ashley applauded in their excitement. "A victory means twice as much when the achiever brings home full numbers. We shall celebrate as soon as they arrive! And hold a ball tonight in their honor!"
Snow rose to the mention of a ball, excited to get to dress up and dance. Emma, on the other hand, rolled her eyes and thought of the massive blisters her feet would harvest in the morning.
"I pray you," Emma asked the boy, "has Captain Hook returned from the fleets or no? I'm sure if he had we would have already heard his moans and groans from having to walk so long from many miles away."
The boy's brow creased in confusion. "I'm sorry, m'lady. I know no one of that name."
Snow gently nudged Emma's arm and broke into a fit of giggles. "My sister means Sir Killian Jones."
It was rumored that Sir Killian had once been the captain of a pirate ship. But during a particularly nasty war, his ship came to the aide of one of King Leopold's vessels that Sir Lancelot commanded. Most of the crew from both ships were badly injured or killed, but victory laid its graces in favor of the King. At one final attempt at Sir Lancelot's life, Killian struck the attacker before he got to the knight. All was well except his hand, which had been cut off during the attack. A hook sat in its place now. After Killian's act of bravery, he was knighted and asked to join the King's guard.
The only thing Emma had taken away from the story the first time she'd heard it was pirate and a hook for a hand. So she had taken to giving him the nickname, Captain Hook.
"Oh," the boy relaxed, "he has returned. And as pleasant as ever."
Emma scoffed at the use of 'pleasant' as a description of the man in question. "He uses the features God spat on his face to his manipulation, not to mention his silver painted tongue. He has most of the fair maidens throughout the kingdom enchanted with his charms, including my father."
"Daughter, you jest Sir Killian too much," the King said with a chuckle. Emma rolled her eyes.
"And a good soldier, too, m'lady," the boy tried to stay noble to the knights.
"And a good soldier to a lady," Emma said suggestively, acknowledging the reputation he'd received throughout the kingdom as the player he was.
The boy tried to stand taller, "And he's done the kingdom a mighty service. A man of honorable virtue."
Emma rolled over in laughter, "Honorable virtue are two words I would not describe that player as being."
"You must not mistake my daughter, Hansel. There is a merry war between Sir Killian and her. They've never met but there is a battle of wit between them," the King explained to which the messenger boy laughed.
"Yes, but as I recall I serve as the present victor. Four out of his five wits went halting off; I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between himself and his horse," she heard as Snow and the other girls tried to conceal their laughter.
Hansel couldn't stop laughing after understanding Emma's good humor. "I sense the gentleman is not in your books."
Emma scoffed once again and shook her head, "No. And if he were I would burn my study. But I must ask, who is the victim of his new sworn knight companion?"
"He is most in the company of the right noble Sir David," the boy answered proudly.
"Oh lord. He will hang upon him like a disease. God help the noble David if he has caught the Hook! It'll cost him a castle's worth to be cure of him!" Emma teased while Snow and the others finally let their flutter of giggles pour from them.
The King shook his head at his youngest daughter, still laughing at her jesting. She enjoyed bringing laughter to her family's soul; it was the least she could do for them.
A guard approached the courtyard and stopped in front of the king. Emma, Snow, and the others stood at attention, anxious about the news he brought. They arrived much faster than the boy had anticipated.
"I present, Sir Lancelot and his team of knights," the guard announced.
Emma and Snow had never met the knights before, so this was a real treat for them. Snow had jumped to Emma's side and held on to her arm in excitement. Emma couldn't deny her own enthusiasm in the joy and celebration that the castle would fall under at their presence.
Sir Lancelot approached the King and bowed. King Leopold gestured for him to stand as he pulled him in a hug. "Are you sure your offer of lodging stands?" Sir Lancelot tormented, "The fashion of the world is to avoid trouble and you welcome it with open arms."
"Never came trouble to my castle in the likeness of your grace: for trouble be gone and comfort shall remain," the King said happily as Sir Lancelot turned his attention to Emma and Snow.
He stood in front of the two of them and bowed, "I think these are your daughters?"
"Their mother had many times told me so," the King teased.
"Were you in doubt, my lord, that you asked her?" a thick accented voice came from behind the good knight.
"Sir Killian," the King welcomed. Curiosity got the best of Emma as she tried to discreetly peer around the knight in front of her to put a voice and face to the man she had been blindly battling all these years. She felt Snow's grip around her arm tighten, but she was too distracted trying to steal a glance to pay her any attention. "No, for then you were just a child," the King winked at the man still hidden from Emma's sight.
"Ignore Sir Killian, m'ladies," Sir Lancelot smiled to them.
The King gestured for the knights to follow him into the castle. Snow and the other women followed while Emma silently volunteered to grab Snow's hat on the chair.
As her back was turned, she could still hear whom she assumed to be Sir Killian still yelling out to Sir Lancelot and the King, not leaving his spot until he was acknowledged.
"I wonder that you will still be talking, Captain Hook, even when no one listens to you," she said boldly, finally turning to see Sir Killian for the first time.
Even though he was facing away from her, she could see him drop his head to the ground and noticed the corners of his eyes rise; he was smiling at her quip. He turned around, a grin stretched across his face from ear to ear. "Ohhhh my dear Lady Disdain," he teased her back. "Are you yet living?"
"Is it possible disdain should die while she has such meet food to feed it as Captain Hook?" she replied, smiling as well. "Courtesy itself must covert to disdain, if you come in her presence."
She took this moment to take in his appearance. The whispers of his handsome looks fell flat to the real thing, as his face could bring even Aphrodite herself to shame. His thick hair was almost as black as Snow's, though it was pushed over in a messy, yet sophisticated comb-over. Even from her distance, she could make out how bright blue his eyes were against his dark lashes. Or was that eye liner that outlined his eyes? He was a former pirate, after all. Stubble peppered his face in a manner that played along the line of boyish and manhood. He raised an eye brow at her inspection of him.
"Then courtesy is a traitor. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies," she rose her eye brow and cocked her head, "only you excepted." He took a few steps towards her, hands still in his pockets as he looked around the courtyard avoiding her glare. "And if I could find it in my heart, though I don't have a heart. For truly, I love none."
"A dear happiness to women," she rejoiced in a faux halleluiah. He smirked, trying to hold back his grin. "They otherwise would have been troubled with a dangerous suitor. I thank God and my cold blood – I would rather hear my swan honk at a crow than a man swear he loves me," she rolled her eyes and noticed his acknowledged nod in her favor.
"Let God keep you in that mind so some gentleman or other shall avoid a predestined scratched face," Sir Killian retorted, raising that eye brow of his once again.
Emma smirked, "Scratching could not make it worse if it were such a face as yours."
Sir Killian mocked a hurt expression, as she had taken a blow at his ego. "Well, you are a rare parrot," his eyes narrowed as he looked her over. "Or swan, to be fitting."
"A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours."
"I would offer my horse had he the speed of your tongue. But keep your way, in God's name," he tipped his head to her and started to walk towards the castle, "I am done."
"Do you always end with a jade's trick?" she called after him, "I know you too well."
He shook his head as he looked over his shoulder one last time, sending her a smile. She mentally pat herself on the back. Killian was not quite what she had expected, but she more than held her own against him, she thought. And though she hated to admit it, he was quite handsome; even with a hook for a hand.